Title: The Swear Jar Chapter 3
Author: Romantique
Email: dolph1n
Classification: Raylan/Winona Family/General
Rating: T for language (but no worse than the show)
Summary: Raylan is a new dad. This one is a stand-alone, not a sequel to 'A Change of Scenery.'
Disclaimer: It's 'Justified' hiatus time, and I'm bored. This fic is based on nothing but my imagination and takes place sometime after the end of Season 3.
Legal: These characters do not belong to me. I'm just a fan and have not made a dime. Please email me to obtain permission to post.
Once back inside the Lincoln, Raylan continued the drive out to Harlan with Tim riding shotgun. He was unusually quiet, especially for Raylan.
After some time riding in the deafening silence, Tim finally interrupted it, deciding he'd bite.
"How are you doing over there?" he asked.
"Oh, I dunno," Raylan sighed. "Winona's gonna kill me if she finds out I didn't stay at the house with Cait like I promised her I would."
Tim leaned back into car seat in an attempt to stretch a cramp out of his calf. He couldn't help but think he should have gotten out of the car when Raylan dropped of Caitlyn and walk for a bit.
"Well, maybe she doesn't have to find out," he suggested.
Tipping his hat back with one hand, eyes still on the road, Raylan said, "That's kinda what I was thinkin'." After a beat, he continued, "She'd also kill me if she found out I was goin' to Harlan."
"That's your job," Tim huffed, with not much sympathy on that one. "She can't expect you not to do your job."
Raylan glanced over at his partner.
"And yet, she does," he nodded.
"I don't understand," Tim prodded. "You're not together anymore, are you?" His tone suddenly changed from one of stating a fact to asking a question.
"It's really different now," he tried to explain. "We're 'together' raisin' this baby for the next 18 years. Whether she and I are together or not is irrelevant."
"Well, if it's any consolation, you have practically the whole Lexington Marshal's office who witnessed what went down," Tim recanted. "Not that I wish to be involved in any of your domestic discord, or whatever you call it." After a beat, he said, "What I'm trying to say, Raylan is ... grow a pair."
Raylan's eyes narrowed at the slight, and he smirked. "Say what?"
Continuing with his bravado, Tim said, "Winona is a little bitty thing. Why are you always so afraid of what she's going to do? My God, Raylan. You are a U.S. Deputy Marshal!"
Raylan let out a courtesy laugh. "What are you suggestin' I do? Physically overpower her because I'm bigger than her?"
Tim crossed his arms in front of him. "I've heard you skillfully go toe to toe with Art, with prisoners, judges, the Feebs and Justice, with me," he rattled them off the top of his head. "Your gift of gab is legendary, and I'll have you know, I'm certainly no pushover. And yet, when it comes to Winona, you're a ..."
"I'm a what?" Raylan cut him off.
"You're a wuss. There. I said it," Tim declared. "It's demoralizing to watch you transform into a quivering mass of Jell-O every time she challenges you."
Insulted, yet trying to maintain control behind the wheel of the car, Raylan huffed, "Don't let me hold you back, Tim!"
"Sorry for the tough love, but someone's gotta snap you out of this self-doubt, self-loathing thing you do to yourself whenever you and your old lady are at odds," Tim explained himself. "It's like Dr. Phil would ask, what you're doing ... is it working for you? Because I don't think it is."
"You watch Dr. Phil?" Raylan was astounded, changing the subject.
Tim nodded. "Yeah, I tape his show. Never miss it."
Raylan was pissed and insulted. Hardly believing he was sitting in the car with an Iraqi war veteran sharp shooting specialist and being criticized for his relationship with Winona by the likes of Dr. Phil, Raylan tried to wrap his mind around the irony of this situation.
Feeling the frosty air in the cab of the car, Tim gingerly continued.
"Look," he sounded conciliatory, "I know she left you ... twice. And I understand how that could hurt a guy. But you've got this baby now, and under the law, she can't just pick up and leave again. You know what I mean?" He stated the obvious, "Caitlyn is the best thing that could ever happen to you and Winona. If you want to remain tied to her, you are. And maybe having Caitlyn was Winona's way of remaining tied to you."
Raylan listened to him.
"Ya' think?" he asked.
"Yeah, I do," Tim nodded. "You just need to chill where she's concerned and live your life and stop apologizing for it. I mean, you're doing your job, Raylan. You're not doing anything illegal or immoral. And it's not like you became a marshal after you met her."
"I know," he said. Then, he explained, "It's specifically Harlan she has a problem with, and my occasional recklessness which, I have been better since gettin' shot."
"You have been better," Tim acknowledged. "You're wearing your vest, bringing backup. Hell, you haven't been written up in months, now."
"It is a record," Raylan agreed.
Now entering Harlan, Raylan said, "We better shelf this for now. We've got work to do."
o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o
Pulling up onto the street in front of his Aunt Helen's old house, Raylan and Tim exited the car and walked over to speak with the two Troopers who were parked on the street right in front of them. Then, Raylan opened the trunk of the Lincoln, and he and Tim pulled out their Kevlar vest and put them on. Tim also pulled out his rifle with the scope and found himself a position to cover his partner as Raylan, alone, walked up the driveway.
A quick review of the house showed it appeared to be in far better repair than the last time Raylan had seen it. He was met at the screen door by Ava Crowder. She was standing there, dressed in jeans and a t-shirt, hair and makeup done, but she still had her house slippers on.
"He's here," she said, but that was all she said.
"Who?" Raylan asked, approaching her.
"Arlo," she answered without missing a beat.
Raylan's face reflected his surprise. He could tell by the look in her eyes that Ava was telling the truth, that she was concerned. Having once been her lover, he had an insight into this woman that even her recently rumored crime spree couldn't hide. And he suspected she had the same insight into him. He reached out to steady her by holding her arm.
"Can we go inside?" he asked.
"Yeah, c'mon in," she said, holding the screen door open for him.
Raylan turned to the street and signaled that everything was okay, and then, he went inside the house. He didn't see anyone inside.
"Arlo's in bed," she explained. "He was exhausted."
"Where's Boyd?" Raylan asked without missing a beat.
"Boyd's not here," she said. "Look, I know you won't believe me, but I had nothin' to do with this. Neither did Boyd. Arlo just showed up here this mornin'."
"Showed up?" Raylan asked.
"Yeah. Arlo told me he just walked out of the prison infirmary. Said he had to find Helen," she recanted. "He's off his meds. I could tell. You'd be able to tell, too, if you were around him more often."
"If that's supposed to be a dig, you know why I can't be around him," Raylan shot her a look.
"No, offense intended," she gently placed her hand on his arm. "I'm just statin' a fact ... about his meds."
"You do know it's a felony to be harborin' a fugutive?" he reported, taking his hat off his head.
"Raylan," she said with in calm, even voice. "I called 911 to let the operator know when he showed up. You can check if you want to."
He studied her face.
"Alright, I believe you," he said. "But how did Arlo get from the prison to here?"
Ava shook her head. "I dunno. You'll have to ask Arlo."
Then, she turned on her heel and led him to the bedroom. Raylan found the old man snoring hard, sound to sleep. Raylan let out a light of both disgust and frustration.
"Arlo," he sharply shouted, as he tapped on the side of the head board, making noise. "Wake up!"
Arlo opened his eyes and gave his son a vacant look. Raylan could tell he was not in good shape.
"Do you know where you are?" Raylan asked.
"Yeah," Arlo responded. "I'm at Helen's. She's run off and left me." He sounded distraught, frightened.
Ava leaned over and whispered to Raylan. "Please don't tell him she's dead. He cries."
Raylan nodded, indicating that he understood.
"You stay with him," he instructed Ava. "I'll be right back."
"Where are you goin'?" she sounded concerned ... for Arlo, for herself.
"To get a doctor," he said.
o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o
Raylan returned to the house a short time later with a doctor who went in to talk to Arlo. He gave him some pills to swallow and an injection of a mild sedative. The doctor then wrote down some instructions on his Rx pad and handed them to Raylan to give to the prison infirmary. Raylan took the piece of paper, folded into quarters, and slipped it into his shirt pocket.
"Give him about another 10 minutes, and he should be a piece of cake to transport," the doctor instructed.
"Thank you, doctor," Raylan responded, extending his hand to the doctor for a shake.
Soon after the doctor left the house, Tim joined Raylan inside the house.
"Ava, you remember Marshal Gutterson?" he reintroduced the two.
"Hi," Ava gave Tim a timid smile.
Tim returned with an obligatory, professional, tight-lipped nod.
"Now, again," Raylan turned his attention square on her, "where's Boyd?"
"I told you, he's not here," she insisted.
"You expect me to believe he just up and left here at the crack of dawn, on the same mornin' Arlo escapes from prison?" he asked, with his hands emphatically on his hips.
"Believe whatever you want, but Boyd's not here," she said, "and I don't know where he is."
Tim interjected, "It does seem awfully coincidental."
"Ava, when's he comin' back?" Raylan asked, tiring of trying to pull answers out of her as if he was pulling teeth.
Ava looked up at Raylan with her big blue eyes.
"He's not," she said. "Comin' back."
Raylan narrowed his eyes, showing he either didn't comprehend or believe what she was saying.
"Well, if you must know," she began, "Boyd and I are havin' some problems."
"Oh, really?" Raylan's eyebrows arched as high as his doubts.
"Yes," she reiterated. "Really. He's been gettin' all into himself again. You know how he can be. I can't deal with him when he's like that. It's just better if we go our separate ways."
"And is he?" Tim asked. "Gonna let you go your separate ways?"
"I dunno," she answered them both. "I guess I'm gonna find out."
Raylan sighed. "Another question. If Boyd's not around, how do you know he didn't bring Arlo here?"
"Because I know Boyd," she said. "He wouldn't do somethin' like that."
"Meanin' someone else would?" Raylan immediately followed up.
Ava shook her head. "I didn't say that. You're twistin' my words."
"And Johnny? You still hear from him?" Raylan asked.
"Not so much, anymore," she said, playfully. "I'd imagine you could find him at his bar. He lives around back, but I expect you already know that."
"Is Johnny runnin' whores now, too?" Raylan asked, suspecting that's what this rift between Boyd and Ava was really all about.
"Gee, I dunno," she answered him. "You'd have to ask Johnny about that, too."
Becoming antsy and tired of just standing around, Tim inhaled a big breath of air. "Oh, we will," he assured her. Then, he glanced at his watch and turned to his partner. "I'm gonna go check on Arlo ... see if he's cooperative enough to get this show on the road."
"Alright," Raylan said.
When the two were alone, in her sweetest voice, Ava said, "I heard you have a new baby girl."
Raylan nodded. "You heard right."
Twirling her hair playfully around her finger, she said, "I'd love to see her sometime."
Suddenly uncomfortable, he said, "I dunno about that, Ava."
"Why? Did you get back together with your ex again?" she asked. "Last I heard, you told me you two had split."
Raylan let out a sigh. "I'm not with anyone right now, and you know what? I kinda like it that way."
Ava pouted. "Seems you and I can't get it together when we're both free. Now that I'm free, you're tellin' me you're not?"
Still uncomfortable with the conversation, he said, "We can talk about this some other time. I gotta get goin'."
The truth was, even though Ava was no longer a witness in an active case, she was likely a criminal, who consorted with another known criminal. Still, if she was telling the truth about leaving Boyd, Raylan didn't want to discourage her for staying clear of him.
"Alright," she said. "We can talk about us later."
She seemed satisfied for the time being. At the same time, Tim emerged with a very docile Arlo, handcuffed and on his feet.
Looking directly at Raylan, Tim said, "I'll take him out to the car."
"Be there I'll in just a second," he said, and watched his father leave without even an acknowledgment.
Then, he felt a warm hand on his arm.
"He didn't know who I was, either," Ava said, confirming what she knew Raylan was thinking. "His mind is that far gone." She then gave his arm a squeeze. "I'm sorry, Raylan."
Then, she gave him an unsolicited hug, trying to offer some comfort.
"Yeah, thanks," he said. "Look, I really do have to go."
He removed himself from her arms. And as he walked out the door, he couldn't help but think of the irony of the situation. Arlo was the lucky one because he couldn't remember Raylan. Somehow, he wished it was the other way around.
(To be continued ...)